NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

A student from my Zoom Chamoru classes recently asked me for some suggestions for some Chamoru sayings or words of wisdom that she could use for a speech she had to give for a friend's wedding.  I get this type of request pretty frequently and so over the years I have a number of lists of ways to say "I Love You" in Chamoru. For years that was one of the my most visited pages on this blog, a simple page that had more than a dozen different ways to say "Hu Guaiya Hao" ranging from the poetic and deep, to the silly and sexy.  When I looked at many of those lists, I realized that the majority of the ways love was expressed, was indeed written in Chamoru, but not necessarily rooted in Chamoru. What I mean by this, is that alot of the sayings were simply translated from English or variants of ways that love would be expressed in English.  For me, I am definitely in support of these sorts of things, I love having our language adapt and take on new forms, especially wh...

Hiningok-hu gi ma'pos na såkkan put un kakanta giya Hapon, lamita Chamorro pat mesklaon Chamorro yan Chapones. Eståba gof ya-hu J-Pop na klasen dandan, ko'lo'lo'ña i dandan Ami Suzuki ni' mambisita giya Guåhan gi 1990s yan mangge' kånta put i islå-ta lokkue'. Lao gi Fino' Ingles ayu un "phase" ya esta hokkok soumtteru-hu nu ayu na klasen dåndan. Lao annai hiningok-hu put un kakanta taiguihi giya Hapon, gumai'interes ta'lo. I na'ån-ña si Alice, lao fuera di enao ti meggai tinigo'-hu put guiya. Sigun i primet na tinige' guini mågi, malago' gui' hun manrecord kånta gi Fino' Chamorro. Malago' yu' tumungo' mås put guiya, ya anggen malago' gui' siña hu ayuda gui' tumungo' mås put i hale'-ña guini, put hemplo anggen malago' gui' muna'hålom mås infotmasion put Guåhan pat Fino' Chamorro gi kantå-ña siha, gof magof hu na bei ayuda. ******************** Alice in Musicl...

This version of the classic Chamorro legend comes courtesy of the Chamorro Studies Division of the Guam Department of Education: **************** Puntan Dos Amåntes Åntes na tiempo giya Hagåtña, guaha un sotterita ni’ gof bunita ya todu ha’ gumaiya. Malago’ si nanå-ña yan tatå-ña na siha u inayeki un rikon taotao para asagua-ña. Lini’e i sotterita ni’ un sindalon Españot ya malago’ na u inasagua. Ha ufresi i sainå-ña meggai na salåppe’. Sigi kumåti i sotterita annai ma sangåni na ayu na taotao para asagua-ña. Duru sumospiros i sotterita. Tåya’ mas guinaiyå-ña na i lahen Chamorro ni’ sumåsaga gi sengsong. Sinangani as tatå-ña para u maleffa ni’ lahen Chamorro sa’ popble. Tinago’ as nanå-ña na u fanosge sa’ agupa’ ha’ para u asagua. Esta ma disidi na para u asagua yan i sindålun Españot. Annai maigo’ i dos saina, malågu i sotterita yan i guinaiyå-ña para u attok gi liyang giya Tomhom. Pumåra i dos un råtu gi halomtåno’ para u deskånsa sa’ m...

I've been involved in some form or another with the issue of indigenous fishing rights for Chamorros since 2009. I've attended dozens of meetings, worked on dozens of documents and talked to hundreds about the issue. It has been a largely frustrating endeavor, as the issue is so heavily laden with ideology, that even before you have said anything, people, often with little to no thought or information have already determined their response. What is so strange about Bill 160, is the way it seems to avoid or ignore what progress we've made on the issue of indigenous fishing rights, while creating another layer of government, which could conflict with existing layers of government resource management. I'm supposed to write up a response to Bill 160 and the discussion around it, and so I wanted to share some of the recent articles about it. ***************** Contentious public hearing for fisheries conservation legislation by Sabrina Salas Matanane KUAM November 17...

Teaching Chamorro culture in Japan by Jasmine Stole Marianas Variety 2/12/2014 PROFESSOR Kyoko Nakayama’s interest in Chamorro culture prompted her to learn as much as she could about it so she can share it with her students in Japan. Nakayama explained the journey of how her interest in Guam developed into two books, an art show and an ongoing educational tour yesterday when she addressed attendees at the Rotary Club of Tumon Bay. Nakayama’s interest in the island quickly translated into her hope to share the culture with Japanese people. Eventually she met with various local people, including Ron Laguana, Ron Castro and Frank Rabon who would help Nakayama reach her goals. A teacher in the education department at Teikyo University in Tokyo, Nakayama established an educational tour in 2009 which allowed her to share the knowledge she learned from Chamorros with her students. The tour is for her senior-level students who travel to Guam for the tour. It include...

TESTIMONY IN THE PRESERVATION OF CHAMORRO MODERN HISTORY: 1950 - 1970 A.D.:The historic Governor Manuel F.L. Guererro Administration Building(DOA), Hagatna by Senator Hope Alvarez Hope Cristobal -OPI(R) Senator Rory J. Respicio, Chairman Committee on Rules, Federal, Foreign & Micronesian Affairs, Human & Natural Resources, Election Reform and Capitol District Mina’ Trentai Tres Na Liheslaturan Guahan 2015 (First) Regular Session March 4, 2015 Reference: Bill No. 32-33 (COR) Hafa adai, Senot Presidente Rory Respicio, Senator Tina Muna-Barnes yan Speaker Judith WonPat: Thank you for this opportunity to present testimony on Bill 32-22(COR)—the demolition of the Gov. Manuel F.L. Guerrero Building in Hagatna also known as the Dept. of Administration Bldg. To those of us who frequented the building in the days of the Department of Education and the Department of Administration for one reason or another. For the record, my name is Hope Alvarez Cristobal. I...

I have to write more about this at some point. It is interesting because for so many Chamorros, their self-perceptions are mired in feelings that we have nothing (especially in cultural terms) and that no one would every want anything that we have anyways. It is intriguing then to see how popular Chamorro style dance is at conventions like this, and to consider that there are multiple Chamorro dance groups in Japan and the United States.  *************** News Releases  From the Guam Visitors Bureau Chamorro Culture Makes Impact at JATA September 28, 2014 (Tokyo, Japan) Team Guam continues to make a great impression at the JATA Tourism EXPO Japan with a plethora of activities lined up for the ...

In the past few weeks, an image and a short activist meme featuring a black and white image of Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo appeared on Facebook. Bordallo has upset alot of people on island over her pushing to authorize the Department of Defense to create a surface danger zone over Litekyan (Ritidian) a popular beach, historically significant area and wildlife refuge as part of their possibly building a firing range on the cliff above.  She introduced a bill to this effect, withdrew it and has now reintroduced it.  The memes attacking her were built around this premise, "What Would Ricky Do?" The reference is to the late Governor Ricardo Bordallo, Madeleine's husband. He served two non-consecutive terms in the 1970s and 1980s as the chief executive of Guam. He ended his political career on scandalous terms after being investigated by the Federal Government and convicted of several crimes, most importantly witness tampering. He was slat...

Sesso nina'triste yu' ni i estorian Maga'lahi Mata'pang. Matatnga na gerreru gui'. Ha kontra i Espanot ko'lo'lo'na i mamale' anai ti meggai na Chamorro kumokontra. Guihi na tiempo meggai mano'sun nu i inentalo', lao i meggaina manma'a'nao nu i atmas i sindalun Espanot. Tumachu Si Hurao kontra siha gi 1671, lao manguahlo'. Kana' ma ikak i Espanot, lao manggineggue siha ni un pakyo'. Mandinestrosa i gima'Chamorro siha, lao tumotohgue ha' sin danu i gima'yu'us Katoliko. Gi 1672 anai umannok Si Mata'pang gi i estoria-ta, ha na'hasso i taotao na debi di u mana'suha i taotao sanhiyong. Ha puno' Si San Vitores yan i ayudante-na, i halacha na mafa'santo na Tagalog as Pedro Calusnor. Si Mata'pang ha fa'nu'i i tiguang-na siha na ti manyu'us i gilagu, sina mehagga'. Gi minagahet esta i Chamorro ma tungo' este, lao manmaleffanaihon. Gof na'ma'a'se na i hiniyon...